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Both Briefing
Vice Admiral Laivin Quix, second-in-command of the fleet, stands at the front of the small briefing room, nestled inside the HQ. It isn't the most grand of locations, but it is equipped with a holo projector screen and conference table, so it'll do. Her uniform is pressed and pleated with full display of her well-earned regalia. Her dark hair is drawn tightly back into a sleek bun, and large, brown eyes regard the attending fleet personnel with solemnity. This woman means business. There are presently enough chairs to accommodate twelve backsides. Which is just fine, as she really need only entertain the commanding officers and permit them to relay the news, but lower ranked, interested parties are certainly not going to be turned away. It's a first come, first-served kind of thing. "Greeting to you, and all of Second Fleet." She does not introduce herself, probably because the rank presently on her left shoulder leaves no question about her identity. Or the meaning behind this very personal visit. There is work to be done. "Admiral Ackbar has requested I hold this meeting in his stead, to deliver a new assignment." Having received orders to be present for the meeting, Argon Brand, the commanding officer of the Lightbringer. Having been able to get a good enough location in the room to observe and hear the vice admiral. His duty uniform, fortunately, was already ready and laundered as he had only recently taken part in the change of command ceremony for his ship. When the news hits that the assignment itself comes from Ackbar, Argon pays even closer attention. Quix casts a silencing eye on a quiet round of whispers that disturb the far left corner. "There is talk that the Imperial presence is strengthening in the Both system. Some disturbing rumors circulating suggest that Bothawui is being subjected to a heavier fist, for reasons we can only postulate, but imagine any excuse to exploit the locals would do. The civilian population is no doubt suffering. We desire to launch a scouting team to enter the fringes of Both system, perform a scan so that we may gauge the size and strength of the Imperial fleet on location, and report back immediately. Engagement at this time is NOT authorized, nor wise. This is your task. Lt Commander Brand -" she looks sternly upon the man. "You've been granted command the Lightbringer, correct?" Halos is travelling incognito - which is to say she's slung a brown leather flight jacket, on whose arms are stitched a faded red flight patch and an insignia of Pheonix Squadron whose stitching is beginning to fray, and a pair of dark mirrored shades. The surreptious slipping of a TaggeCo Kath-Krunch chocolate bar to the soldier manning the door and a winning smile admits her entrance, exchanging a few jockular shoulder slaps with old comrades and quiet greetings as she enters the pilot milieu. Argon listens and mentally notes the instructions and looks to the admiral and nods, "Yes, ma'am. We can set out as soon as you wish." He does not smile or frown, but maintains a relatively neutral expression and tone. "To scout and gather information on Imperial forces, and not to engage, understood, ma'am." Quix nods. "Good. You've been selected for the honor. Consider it the christening voyage of Lightbringer's future under your command." Belatedly, she cues a projection of the Both System from the table's surface. Bothawui is enlarged and brought to center, for emphasis, perhaps? "You will not be alone, however. StarOps will be accompanying you on this reconnaissance. Falcon Squadron - this task falls to you, this time." A round of disappointed sighs and groans issues from a few Ghost and Rogue throats. The Vice Admiral ignores them graciously, and it's with a wry, knowing smile that she holds her eyes on Falcon's Squad Leader. "Choose two of your pilots and inform high command of your selection. You are expected to be prepared for launch in ..." a glance down at the table. "Six days. I suggest your ship pack lightly, Lt Commander. In the event that one of our little birds injures a wing, it falls to you to devise a way to get them home. Last I recall, there's not much wiggle room in your cargo bay." Barracks veterans know how to get to the front of a crowd, so its with a degree of polite shoving and insistant shoulder-led slides that Halos edges closer and rests her folded arms on the head of a pilot lucky enough to have found a much coveted seat. Her elbow finds Argon's ribs with a demand for attention, and she follows up with conspiratorial whisper his way. "/Two/ fighters?" an incredulous tone. "..that's a lot of Imperial interceptors to go around, don't you think?" her head bobbing in Quix's direction, a firm urging to speak up. "Understood. We have ample room for them if it is needed, but we will be ready to take them on if needed, I believe we have room for two X-wings, so two A-wings should fit with relative ease." Argon nods and looks to the Falcon Squadron leader but his attention is soon grabbed by an elbow to his ribs. He looks to Halos and grins, responding in a whisper, "If we absolutely have to fight, I am sure the Lightbringer will dissuade the Imperials from a fight quickly enough." Laivin Quix is a woman of patience...but not V. Admiral of one. Narrowing her eyes as they scan the crowd to land upon some more mouthy listeners, she clears her throat. "Colonel," She nods to another member of the Fleet, sitting a row behind Argon. "I want /you/ to take six Ghosts. Rather than sticking with the Lightbringer upon arrival, I want you to serve as a distraction, in the event that your entry becomes noticed. Give the Falcons and our Corgun the minutes they need to complete their scan. Communications officers, I cannot stress enough just how /fast/ you need to be. A quick count and you're out. Return to base immediately. /No/ stunts." On this note, she angles her glare in a different direction, and a certain A-wing pilot slouches a bit deeper into his seat. "We just want a picture of what it is we could be dealing with. Copy?" Halos is part-way through bobbing and weaving her head, as if weighing the arguments on one side or the other about the Lightbringer's local superiority when Quix announces her backup plan, eyes meeting briefly beforehand and the mirrored surfaces of Halos' shades never more welcome than at that moment. It does however molify her concerns, an approving assent signaled with a nod and a spreading smile. "Empire'll wish they'd been asleep at the sensor-station if they come to investigate." Argon shrugs and pays attention to the Ghosts being given the chance to be a distraction. He gives no other response to the admiral save a nod of acknowledgement of the rest of the plan. Argon then thinks for a momen trying to map out everything in his head of how to go about the problem. "I don't need to spell out for you how thinly we're stretched. Your findings are crucial to High Command's ability to make a decision - can we risk our resources on behalf of the Bothans to stage any future intervention? I pray you are successful in obtaining this flash of information." Nodding firmly, Quix backs a half step away from the table at the room's front, but leaves the hologram of Bothawui to spin on its axis. "Are there any questions?" Halos straightens up a bit, casting her eye around - this ain't her briefing, but seeing an opening, she addresses the collective more than poses a question. "The marines're looking forward to some Big Damn Hero work on the surface so please, get us that intel. The Bothans are counting on us." As questions seem to not be forthcoming, Argon gives the marine officer a nod. He then turns to the admiral and gives another nod, "I believe I understand thte mission, admiral. We will be ready to set out at teh designated time." The lieutenant commander rubs his chin and says, "You will get your information." "We're counting on it." The Vice Admiral nods "Dismissed" and shuts down the holo imagery. She waits until all bodies have filed out of the room before packing up her own sparse belongings in the room and returning to temporary quarters.